Machine for applying insulation in liquid form to wire



M. D. SHIVERICK MACHINE FOR APPLYING INSULATION IN LIQUID FORM TO WIRE.I APPLICATION FILED APR. I4, I-9 20. RENEWED AUG. 3, 1922. I 1&32fi95.Patented Oct. 24,- 1922,

4 SHEETSSHEET 1.

Izzvewz 41 M swam-cg,

M. D. SHIVERICK. MACHINE FOR APPLYING INSULATION IN uoum FORM TO WIRE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 14, 1920- RENEWED AUG. 3.,1922 1,432,795.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2- V .17. slicks/6e18- Patented Oct. 24,1922,

M. D. SHIVERICK.

MACHINE FOR APPLYING INSULATION IN LIQUID FORM TO WIRE. APPLICATIONFILED APR. I4, I920. RENE'WED AUG. 3, 1922.

1,43%?95, Patented 001;. 22,1922.

M. D. SHIVERICK.

MACHINE FOR APPLYING INSULATION IN LIQUID FORM TO WIRE. APPLICATIONFILED APR. 14, 1920. RENEWED AUG. 3, 1922.

1,4323%. Patented Oct. 24,1922.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

Patented Get. 2 A, 1922.,

entree snares PATENT (@FFHQEQ MYRON D. SHIVIERICK, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK,ASSIGNOR TO FINE WIRE INSULATING COMPANY, INC., OF ALBANY, NEW YORK, ACOIRPORATION OF NEW YORK.

MACHINE FOR APPLYING: INSULATION IN LIQUID FORM TO WIRE.

Application filed April 14 1920, Serial No. 373,889. RenewedAugust-3,1922.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MYRON D. SHIVERIGK, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at Albany, in the county of Albany and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines forApplying Insulation in Liquid 'Form to Wire, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to machines for applying insulation in liquidform to wire and particularly to very fine wire, the wire with theapplied insulation being passed successively through a series of ovensto harden the insulation. 7

In machines of this type, particularly with extremely fine wire it isimportant that the tension on the wire during the feeding thereof bemore "or less flexible in order to prevent breaka'ge of the wireincident to speed increase of feeding wheels, also to prevent the wirebecoming crossed at the turns in feeding direction. The present machineaims to obviate this difficulty by providing air pressure operatedtensioning means to thereby maintain the desired tension under thatdegree of flexibility as well as compensate for the irregularitiesnoted.

A further object of the invention is the provisionof means for feedingthe liquid insulation evenly and regularly on to the wire withoutretarding the feeding movement of the wire.

The invention further'contemplates a series of individual ovens, withmeans for passing the wire successively through said ovens, provisionbeing made for applying a desired quantity of liquid insulation to thewire immediately preceding its entry to each oven. The ovens are made upof an oven tube of considerable length and a hot tube arranged withinthe oven tube and at the entry end thereof. The fuel means is sodirected and controlled that the flame is confined to the space betweenthe hot tube and oven tube, with the result that the liquid insulationis first subject to heat of the hot tube and then to gradually reducedheat of the oven tube, the flame being prevented from direct contactwith the wire.

The invention, shown in the preferred type of machine and involving twodistinct units, each handling its own wire lengths,

Serial No. 579,550.

g is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a sideelevation of the improved machine.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of-the machine partly in vertical section.

Fig. 4.- is a front elevation of the machine.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged broken vertical section of the machine.

Fig. 6 is a plan view illustrating the relation of the guide wheels anwheels.

Fig. 7 is a broken Vertical section of the lower portion of the machine,showing more particularly the relative arrangement of the guide wheels,liquid insulation applying wheels, and the ovens.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the iath of travel of a wirefrom the supply spoo to the receiving spool.

Figs. 9 and 10 are details in elevation and plan respectively, showingthe air pressure means for maintaining tension upon the supply spools.

artly 5 feed Figs. 11 and 12 are details in side and front elevationrespectively, illustrating the air pressure means for operating thereceiving spools for the wire.

The improved machine is here shown as involving two units, each completein itself and each involving, in addition to the cooperating parts, sixovens. As will be apparent from the following description it iscontemplated to supply liquid insulation, ordinarily referred to asenamel, to a plurality of wires, threebeing shown, and to carry suchwires through the successive steps necessary to apply the enamel insuccessive layers and to bake or .harden, through the application ofheat, each layer of enamel.

The machine as here shown comprises a frame 1, rising from or mounted ona suitable base 2, in which frame, adjacent the lower end thereof, isrotatably mounted what may be termed the main shaft 3. In. enamelingvery fine wire it is important that the operating parts of the machinebe driven with a smooth, easy running action as free from vibration aspossible, and this result is sought in the present machine by drivingthe shaft 3 through the medium of a turbine 4. driven by compressed airfrom a nozzle 5, fed froml a suitable storage tank (not shown) through asupply. pipe 6.

' Rising from a lateral frame projection 6*, near the upper end of theframe, is an upright 7, having lateral shafts 8", on which is adapted tobe arranged the supply spools 9, three being shown, from which the wireis fed to the machine to be enameled or coated.

A frame projection 10 is arranged adjacent 10 the upper end of the mainframe and supports shaft 11, on which, for each unit, there are arrangedtwo feed wheels 12, peripher-' ally grooved at 13 for the passage of thewires thereover from the supply spools with 15. each wire in its ownparticular groove. I The driving action of the feed wheels 12 isparticularly important in order that a more or less'flexible tension bemaintained on the wire, and also that an absolutely accurate.

speed of such feed wheels be had in accordance with desired conditions.This necessitates the provision of means for adjusting the speed of suchfeed wheels and to secure this result the feed wheels shaft 11 is driventhrough co-operating beveled gears 14, from a shaft '15, which extendsdownwardly adjacent the free end of the frame projection 6. The lowerend of the shaft is provided with a split beltwheel 16 the proximatefaces of which converge toward each other fromthe peripheries-of thesections. The lower section of such wheel 16 is secured upon a collar 17which is adjustable longitudinally of the shaft. 15, through a handle 18threaded on the shaft 15. An upright shaft 19 is mounted in the frameand driven through beveled gearing 20 from the main shaft 3. The upperend of the shaft 19 is provided with a belt wheel 21 and a belt 22engages the belt wheel 21 and a split belt wheel 16 on the shaft 15. Itis obvious that by adjusting the Sections of the split belt wheel 16toward or fromeach other, the actual bearing diameter of that portion ofthe wheel engaged by the belt 22 may be changed at will to therebygovern at will the speed of the feed wheels 12. The belt 22 ismaintained under proper tension for proper operation under the desiredadjustment, through a tensioning means for the shaft mounting of shaft15, such means comprising a tension element 2'3 involving in part aspring 24 and a connector 25, secured at its respective ends to thecasing for shaft and passing over a roller 26 at the end of frameprojection 6. The belt 22 is thus maintained sufliciently taut forproper operation under all possible adjustments of the split belt wheel16.

On the front of the main frame 1 approximately in line with the mainshaft 3 is a support 27 on which is secured a rectangular fuel chamber28. Sleeve like sections 29, hereinafter termed hot tubes, extendthrough 53 the upper and lower walls of the fuel chamatmosphere at theirlowerends.

ber 28, said hot tubes being thus open to the The hot tubes arepreferably elliptical or oval in plan and the upper surface of the fuelchamber 28 is formed with a series of minute openings 30, encirclingeach tube. Fuel is supplied to the chamber 28 through a fuel supply pipe31 leading from any suitable source and pivoted to its connection withfuel chamber leading into a mixer 32 to which compressed air is admittedfrom the supply pipe 6 throu h pipe. 33. An oven tube 34 surrounds eachot tube above the fuel chamber, the lower ends of the oven tubes beingslightly spaced from the upper wall of said fuel chamber. The oven tubesare of considerablelength, extending some distance above the upper endsof the hot tubes and are preferably 'removably supported in main frameparts 35, the oven tubes are preferably divided longitudinally, with therespective sections arranged as shown, so that the outermost sectionmay, if desired, be turned back to expose the interior of the tube.Furthermore, each tube is provided with a sight opening 36, preferablyin line with the upper end of the hot-tube therein, a slide 3 beingarranged to cover such sight openings when necessary to seal the sameopenings, as well as the capabilities of the oven tubes for beingopened, provides for the convenience and easy positioning of the wireswithin said oven in initially threading the wires therethrough for theenameling or insulator applying operation.

It may here be emphasized that a particular important detail of theoperation of the machine in connection with the ovens, is that the fuelis .so regulated that the flame does not extend above the u per ends ofthe hot tubes, but is confined to the space below the upper ends of saidhot tubes and between said hot tubes and oven tubes. This, as will beplain from the path of travel of the wire as hereinafter pointed out,subjects the wire in its initial entry of the oven to theintense heat ofthe comparatively reduced area of the hot tube while at the same timewith t e wire or the enamel material thereon. Guide rollers 38 and 39,each with the appropriate number of wire grooves are mounted inlaterally spaced relation above the ovens and are adapted tosuccessively receive the wire from the feed wheels 12, the

roller 39 being arranged in a plane rearwardly, of the plane of theovens, so that the initial wire lines depending from such roller 39 arewholly beyond and in rear of the oven. Successive sets of upper andlower guide rollers 40'and 41 are mounted on the main frame and on thebase above and below the ovens, these guide rollers being arranged invertical alignment with the ovens, and being so positioned and of suchreventing any contact of the flame preceding its entry weaves diameterthat the wire assing around said rollers will be directei centrallythrough the ovens on one side of the rollers and outside of the ovensfrom the other side, as will be apparent from Fig. 8. Arranged above thelower guide rollers 41 is a set of coating rollers 42, there being onesuch roller for. each oven. These coating rollers are peripherallyformed with a wlre receiving grooves 43 and are mounted upon a shaft 44,supported in the main frame, and driven by chain and sprocket 45 fromthe main shaft 3. The shaft44 is hollow and'in open counication as bychannels 46, with the Wire oove of each roller as shown in Fig. 7.Eihmel or other liquid insulating compound is fed to the hollow shaft-through pipe 47 from a source of pressure support and through thechannels 46 to the wire grooves of the coating rollers 42. As will beapparent from the drawings, that length of wire from each articularlower feed roller 41 which is designed to travel directly through thesuper-imposed oven, enga es in its particular groove of the coating roler 42 aligned with that oven, so that through said engagement a desiredquantity of enamel is supplied to the wire immediately into the oven.The excess enamel, if any, from the coating roller drops into a trough48, arranged below and longitudinally of the roller 42 and incliningtoward a receptacle 49, communicating with a pipe 50 whereby such excessenamel is collected for further use.

A return wire guide roller 51 is mounted on upright 52, rising from. theupper portion of the frame 1, this roller 51, formed with wire groovesin appropriate number serving to receive the wire lengths followingtheir final passage through the ovens and to direct them to a guideroller 53, loosely mounted upon shaft 11, and thence to receiving spools54, supported in an auxiliary frame 55, secured to the main frame. Thereceiving spools may, if desired be driven through belt connection 56,one for each receiving spool, from the main shaft 3, and if so driven,it is important that such belt 56 be, what is known as spring belts andby reason of the constant tension of such character belt regardless ofatmospheric conditions, or of the heat from the ovens and uniform,smooth, and highly desirable action is had in winding the wire upon thereceiving spools.

In Figs. 11 and 12, however, there is shown the preferred means fordriving the receiving spools, wherein 57 represents a driving wheelhaving a series of impact blades or vanes 58, and adjacent each wheel isarranged a nozzle 59, for delivering compressed'air through a pipe 60,in communication with the supply pipe 6. Valves 61 control the pressureso that the respective receiving spools are thus driven by a steadyconstant power not subject to the variations incident to the usualmechanical drives.

In Figs. 9 and 10 there is shown a means for securing a flexible tensionon the supply spools 9, to thereby revent breakage of the wire due tothe spool racing or the turns of the wire becomin crossed or from anunbalanced spool. is here shown the peripheral edge 62 of the disk endof the spool is provided with a spring stri 63 to bear thereon in themanner of a bra e. The strip 63 is mounted upon an arm 64 rotatablysupported on the spool shaft and weighted at 65 to insure a more or lessconstant bearmg relation between the strip 63 and the edge'62. The endof the arm opposite the weight is' enlarged to provide a vane 66, and anair nozzle 67, controlled by a valve 68 is adapted to direct more orless a constant air pressure a ainst this vane, the nozzle beingsupplied t rough a pipe 69 communicating with the compressed air supply.By

regulating the air pressure it is apparent that a flexible tensioningdevice is provided for thesupply spools, and the latter may be thus heldfor that particular supply speed which will obviate the objectionsnoted.

The path of travel of a single length of wire is clearly shown in Fig. 8of the drawings, from which it will be noted that each wire is initiallycoated, to pass through the first oven, again coated, to pass throughthe second oven, and so on throughout the series. Provision is made forthe simultaneous travel of three lengths of wire in the singleoperations, these respective wire lengths be- 'il1g maintained separatedby the grooves in the spools, guide rollers, and the like, over whichthey pass.

Reference to Figs. 2 and 4, it will be noted that the machine here shownis made up to present two units, each involving six ovens, and eachhaving its own cooperating parts as previously described. This tends toeconomy of operation, and of course simplifies the construction ascompared with two independent machines each of a single unit.

What I claim is 1. In a wire enameling machine, a series of ovens, meansfor feeding the wire in succession therethrough, means for coating thewire with enamel, means for delivering compressed air to directlyactuate said feeding means, and means operated by compressed air fortensioning the wire during the feedand means for feeding the wire incontact with the respective coating means and through the ovens 1nsuccession.

3. In a wlre enamelmg machine, a series the wire from contact with theflame, ename1 coatin means for the Wire, supply spools from whlch thewire is fed, receiving spools to which the wireis fed, and means fordirecting the wire into contact with the Boating means and through theovens in succession intermediate the supply spools and receiving spools.

4. In a wire enameling machine, a series of open flame ovens, means forprotecting the wire from contact with the flame, enamel coating meansfor the wire, a series of guide rollers for directing the wire intocontact with the coating means and through the ovens in succession,feeding spools for the wire and adustable means for regulating the speedof said spools.

5. In a wire enameling machine, a series of open flame ovens, means forprotecting the wire from contact with the flame, a series of wirecoating means, air driven feeding means for the wire to feed the wireinto contact with the coating means and through the ovens successively,and manually operable means for adjusting the speed of said feedingmeans.

6. In a wire enameling machine, a series of ovens, supply spools fromwhich the wire is fed, means for guiding the wire in succession throughthe ovens, means for coating the wire with the enamel, and air operatedtensioning means for the supply spools.

7. In a wire enameling machine, a series of ovens, supply spools fromwhich the wire is fed, means for guiding the wire through the ovens insuccession, means for coatin the wire with enamel immediately prece ingits entry into a particular oven, a tension band for each supply spool,and regulatable air pressure means to maintain a desired Ipressure onsaid tension band.

8. n a wire enameling machine, a series of open flame ovens, means forprotecting the wire from contact withthe flame, supply spools from whichthe wire is fed, a

' series of guide rollers over which the wire is directed in successionin one direction beyond the ovens and in the other direction through theovens, and a series of enamel and coating rollers with which the wirec0- operates immediately preceding its entry into the oven,

9. In a wire enameling machine, a series of supply spools, an upper andlower series of guide rollers, each of said rollers being grooved toseparately receive the wires from all supply spools, the respectiveguide rollers being arranged to direct the travel of the wires from thelower set to the upper set, enamel feeding rolls cooperating with thewires in such travel, means for feeding the .enamel through said rollsand onto the wire and ovens through which the wires are directed in suchtravel.

the rollers.

10. In a wire enameling machine, a series enamel is ed, rollers fixed onsaid shaft with which the wire cooperates in its travel, said rollersbeing formed to direct the enamel from the hollow shaft to the peripheryo 11. In a wire enameling machine, an enamel feedin means comprising ahollow shaft, means or supplying enamel thereto, coating rollers securedupon the shaft and peripherally grooved to receive the wire, saidrollers being formed to direct the enamel from the hollow shaft to thewire grooved therein.

l2. In a wire enameling machine, an enamel feeding means comprising ahollow shaft, means for supplying enamel thereto, coating rollerssecured upon the shaft and peripherally grooved to receive the wire,said rollers being formed to direct the ename1 from the hollow shaft tothe wire grooved therein, and means for collecting the excess enamelfrom said rollers.

13. In awire enameling machine, a series of ovens, supply spools fromwhich the wire is fed, means for guiding the wire in succession throughsai coating the wire with enamel during its travel, and receiving spoolson which the enameled wire is stored, and means operated by compressedair for driving said receiving spools. I

14. In a wire enameling machine, a series of ovens, supply spools fromwhich the wire is fed, means for guiding the wire in succession throughsaid ovens, means for coating ovens, means for the wire with enamelduring its travel, re-

eeiving spools on which the enameled wire is stored, and means operatedby compressed 1 element around which the wire travels an through whichthe coating material is fed onto the wire, and an air operatedtensioning means for the supply spools.

17 In a wire enameling machine, a series of ovens, supply spools fromwhich the wire is fed, means for guiding the wire in succession throughthe ovens, a positively driven rotary coating element around which thethe ovens, rotary means for coating the ,wire with the enamel, saidrotary means serving as the lower guiding 10 means for the wire, and anair operated tensioning means for the supply spools.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

MYRON D. SHIVERICK.

